Marshall Goldsmith is a well-respected executive coach. This book covers the concept that many leaders fail not in spite of the skills that initially promoted them, but because of them.
In short, the personality strengths that get people promoted to leadership positions (or empower entrepreneurs to start businesses) are great for when you're starting a career or a business, but they will work against you as your job shifts from aggressively building to nurturing and growing.
Here are the top 5 "annoying flaws" that hold leaders back:
1. The need to win at all costs and in all situations
2. The overwhelming desire to add our input to every discussion
3. The need to pass judgement and impose our standards on everyone else
4. Seeking opportunities to sound sharp and witty even though we end up sounding sarcastic and harsh
5. Starting every response with "No," "But," or "However," in an attempt to show people we're smarter than they think we are
What this means for you: Many entrepreneurs fail in their pursuit of a big goal because the energy it took to get them started is totally different from that required to get them to the top. This is why so many businesses end up hiring outside CEOs to carry on the original entrepreneur's vision. Consider your biggest strengths that have made you successful today, and think about whether they might get in your way tomorrow.
Virginia Ginsburg is founder and chief consultant at Swell Strategies. She is passionate about supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs in starting and running successful enterprises. An avid reader, in this blog she reviews books and articles and relates specific learning points back to entrepreneurial businesses.
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